Thursday, September 25, 2008

SMUGGLED ONTARIO BEER NOTES, PART 2

Last week we talked with you about a big can of NEUSTADT 10W30 we ingested after a complex journey it took in the luggage of Canadian special beer agent “Peet”. We made mention of a shadowy “second can” that accompanied the Neustadt beer on its journey across the border and past Homeland Security, through customs, taxis and finally down my gullet. Now it can be revealed that said can was a 16-oz. pour of HOCKLEY DARK from HOCKLEY VALLEY BREWING in Orangeville, Ontario. This tall boy can is a real chugger, mild and smooth and a great representative of dark English ales. Tastes of toffee and chestnuts are present, with exceptionally smooth roasted malts and the faint hint of dark chocolate. The brewery itself says, “It is a cross between a Northern Brown ale with its caramel, nut and soft toffee notes and a Midlands Mild with its subtle chocolate, licorice and dark fruit undertones”. Hey, that’s exactly what I was gonna say! Hedonist Beer Jive likes it and sees another pint glass with this filled to the brim in our future. 7/10.